Wave motor



Aus.v 3,1926.

- L.. G. FAIRBANK wAvE uoTon y Filed Nw. 27. ,192s

y@ ATTORNEYS. ,v

vu QW.

INVENTOR.

ATToRNEYs.

WAVE MOTOR t A m\ n. r.

Y. NM.

- lAug. 3 1926.

v L. G. FAIRBANK Filed Nov. 27, 1923 L. G. FAIRBANK WAVE mom'onr Filed Nov; 27.' 1923 ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1926.

cmu

Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

LEIi-ANDG. F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

WAVE Moron.

Applicationl led November 27, 19,23 Serial No.. 677,299.

rllhe present invention relates to improvef 1 i 'i ments 1n Water motors, and has particular reference to ay motor utilizing a continuous How of Water such as occasioned' by the tides in the ocean or by the natural flow" of a river, forl the purposeofproducing power.

It isfparticularly proposed to provide amotor of this` character that' will automatically adjust" itself to the direction ofthel flow, so

that the change of the tides w-illfnot in any Wely interfere with the proper operationof the'- motor.

ItY is further proposed to construct propelling means forming partvofmy. motor in auchy amanner that the proper position of the propeller relative tothe direction ot-low' iscontinueusly maintainedso thatwlien the direetionof-'flow is'clangedtslghtly the pro-v pel-ler will automatically follow'l thechange andassume a position inA which the flow ofl water can operate onthe propeller 5to the best advantage ltl is further proposedtoy ,rovide' in con,-

nection Withmy Watermot r suitable means for transferring power'fromarotaryshaft to an electric ygenerator or similar device adeptedlto convert mechanical-power created by the flow of! Water' into electrical power. It

is further proposed'to provide suitable means for raising andlovveringthe propeller portion et my waterl motor and to providefurther means in confiimetionl therewith allowing the raising and lowering means tobe actuated by `the propeller. Further objects and advantagesofvvv my device Willappear as the specification. proceeds.

'.lliepreferred form of' my invention is illustrated inthe accomliianyinlgf` drawings, in which Figure 1 shows ay side View of`r my watergmotor; FigureQ msectionalview taken alongl line lil-III o'Fignre 1; Figure 3 an enlarged 1 longitudinal f section through aV portion of. my device; Figure' lan endfview of one propeller; Figure 5 a side View ofa portion ofthe same; Fi ure` tianenlarged detalview illustratingt e meansfr. securing, a.y propeller blade to al hub; Figure 7 a section'takenalong line VIIL-VIII-'of Figure 6; Figures. 8y` and 9 detail views ofa member limiting the swingin motion; ofJa blade on the propeller.;and igure 10a-n enlarged detailv view of thecentral portion of Figure: v3. )Vhile I; have shown only' the preferred; form` off my? invention, I1 Wishto have itrimderstoed than various changesv or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attachedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

The supporting structure of my Water motor comprises a frame (1) of any suitable construction adapted to rest on the-beams Whichlatter are supported on two piers (3) disposed at a distance from one another. The frame (1) preferably comprises the transverse members (4) which may be made of channel iron, andthe longitudinal niembers (6) made offany suitable cross-section.

Plates (7) are supported" on the frame/andalloW a secondframe 'of any suitable construction toride thereon by means. ofthe Wheels '(9). The latter frame' has a cupshaped member (1l) centrally dependin'frl therefrom, and a registering cup-shape member (12)i`s adapted 'to'. receiveitlie member v(11) with freedom of rotary` motion, with a retaining ring (13)4 holding-the two cups inengagement It Willy thus be seen that the frame` (8) isadaptedtoirevolve on the central'aXi-sfof thewhole device, which latter central axis isrepresentedy by thek ver.- tical shaft (14).

The propeller ofV my device is suspended from tlierevolving frame (8) in thefollow# ing. manner, as particularly Wellv illustrated in"Figure-3. Two bearings (16) are sup;

ported by means of brackets (17) betvuamy transverse' members 5 (.18) andhave' rotatably mounted therein Isleeves (19) provided: at their yupper fends Withk bevel gears (21) and threaded interiorly to receive thethreaded rods (22)` rising freni af third frame' It is apparent that when thebeveligrears are rotated either by hand or by power. means, tobe described hereinafter, the third frame (23) will be raised ory lowered according to the direction: of: rotationofA the bevel gears (2l). Suitable guide means for thefframe (23), Which latter supports the propeller arrangement, are provided in the heavy'columns (24) rising;P from thelatter. frame and slidably extending throughbcarings (26) provided in the frame (8,) andin the ysuperstructure (9').4 secured on said frame..

The bevel gears (21) are actuated by meansof pinions (27)y on radialshafts- (28) which latterV terminate at' their inner ends inpinions ('29.) meshing with two ybevel'gears 1(31) mountedlon thevertical shaft: (14) with lreedom of rotary motion. A sleeve (32) slidable on the shaft (Il) is provided with lugs (L3) on its end faces, which latter are wardly by means of the forked lever (36) g the grooved circumierential face of Y llrve .2). It will thus be seen that when the shalt (Je) is rotated by means of the propeller. to be described hereinafter,

either the upper or the lower bevel gear i'nay be engaged with the pinions (29) for imparting rotary motion to the bevel gear for raising` or lowering the propeller '.nriuigement, and that the direction of motien of the latter is governed by the selection between the two bevel gears (31). The shafts (2S) may also be turned by hand by means of lever (259) engaging the collar (35) as shown in Figure 3.

rIhe lower frame (23) supports on suitable bracing members (37) and 38) a horizontal shaft (39) on which are mounted a plurality of propellers A housing (42) surrounding the central portion of the shaft protects a bevel gear (43) keyed to the shaft and meshing with a pinion (44) disposed on the lower end of the vertical shaft (la) so that the shaft (39) rotates the vertical shaft (la) when the propellers are working. The ends of the horizontal shaft (39) have angle irons (46) extending therefrom, which latter angle irons support the rudder (47) extending through the full length of the water motor and serving as a stabilizer for the same.

One of the propellers is illustrated in de tail in Figure et in connection with Figures 5 and 6, from which it appears that a plurality of spokes (48) are rotatably supported in a hub structure (49) fixed to the shaft (39) and a peripheral ring (5l). Each spoke has a suitable blade (52) secured thereto by means of lugs (53) so that each blade swings freely on the axis of its respective spoke. This swinging motion is, however, limited by means of the confining members (5e secured to arms (56) extending from a sleeve (57) rotatable on the spoke (4S) and disposed at an angle to the plane of the spokes, as shown in Figure 5. In end view the members (54) are curved, as shown in Figure 8, and also in the main view of Figure il. The arms (56) which run parallel to the shaft (39) are sufficiently long to accommodate the free ends of the confining members (5%) of the preceding spoke, as shown in Figure 5. It will be seen that due to this construction each blade can play within the limits of the confining members but is prevented from going beyond a pitch previously decided upon. Further means for limiting the play of the blades are provided in the lugs (58) secured on the spokes near the hub and suitable stops (59) provided on the hub, which latter two enter into engagement at the same time that the blade strikes the confining member (5l). Thus each propeller is constructed to respond to the flow of water, no matter in what direction the water flows, and each propeller blade can readily adjust itself to a reversal in the flow of water such as would occur when the tides change.

The frame (8) has a platform secured thereon, which latter supports the electric generators (62) disposed on opposite sides of the vertical shaft (14). A bevel gear slidable on the shaft (14) but partaking of its rotary motion, engages with the bevel pinions (64) mounted on the shafts (6(5) of the generators. Suitable change speed arrangement (6'7) may be introduced into the generator shafts for transmitting power at desired speeds.

The operation of the whole device should be readily understood from the foregoing description. The frame (8) which is supported on the frame (l) like a turn-table, has the propeller arrangement suspended therefrom by means of the rods which latter may be raised or lowered through the. bevel gear arrangement shown in Figure 3, while the columns (Q4) serve as guides for the propellel` arrangement. Power is transmitted to the two generators from the horizontal shaft (39) through the vertical shaft (14C) occupying the center of the whole arrangement. The propellers themselves tend to keep the shaft (39) in the direction of the flow, and remain operative no matter what direction the water comes from since the blades swing around on a. reversal of the flow of the water. The rudder or stabilizer (47) tends to hold the whole propeller arrangement in an operative position and allows the same to operate under the most favorable conditions.

I claim:

l. In a. water motor, a supporting structure, a rudder plate depending therefrom with freedom of rotary motion, a driving element associated with the plate, flow responsive means thereon for imparting motion to the same, means for raising and lowering the rudder plate, and an operative connection between the latter means and the driving element allowing the latter to operate the former.

2. In a water motor, a stationary frame, a turntable revolvable thereon, an elongated centrally recessed rudder plate suspended from the turntable, a shaft arranged longitudinally in the recess of the plate and propeller blades mounted on the shaft for imparting rotary motion to the shaft.

3. In a water motor, a stationary frame, a turntable revolvable thereon, a rudder plate suspended from the turntable, a shaft supported in a plane substantially parallel with the rudder ed on the tion to the shaft.

4. In a water motor, a stationary frame, a turntable' revolvable thereon, a rudder plate, vertical rods supporting the rudder plate extending through the turntable, threaded means associated with the turntable for lowering and raising the rods, a horizontal shaft supported by the plate and propeller blades on the shaft for imparting rotary motion to the same.

5. In a Water motor, a stationary frame,

plate and propeller blades mountshaft for lmparting rotary mo# a turntable revolvable thereon, a rudder plate, vertical rods supporting the rudder plate extending through the turntable, threaded means associated with the turntable for lowering and raising the rods, a horizon` tal shaft supported on the plate, propeller blades on the shaft for imparting rotary motion to the Sha-ft and an operative eonnee` ltion, between the shaft and the threaded means allowing the former to operate the latter for raising and lowering the rudder plate.

LELAND G. F AIRBANK. 

